No one deserves to be raped!
A study that was released earlier this week said that a startling 65.1% of Brazilians either partially or wholly believe that “if dressed provocatively, women deserve to be attacked and raped.” In addition, the study also revealed that 58.5% complacency with the belief “if women knew how to behave, there would be less rape.”
Conducted by Brazil’s Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), the study showed that 66.5% of the surveyed pool were in fact, women. The institute interviewed a reflective sample of 3,810 Brazilians via a questionnaire across 212 cities between May and June of 2013.
Outraged, Brazilian women instantly reacted and took to social media and blogs to start a conversation about the study’s relations, keeping the story relevant and trending for more than 24 hours. In protest, Brazilian journalist Nana Queiroz created a Facebook event and hashtag to confront the outrage. The hashtag is appropriately titled #NãoMereçoSerEstuprada, which when translated means ‘#IDon’tDeserveToBeRaped.’
In an organised call to action on March 28th, at 8.00pm Brazilian local time, women were encouraged to share photos of them topless while covering their breast with a sign that showcased the aforementioned hashtag. The Facebook event also specified that if women were uncomfortable posting topless photos, they should pose fully clothed. The important thing, the journalist explained, was that “they, as women, demonstrate that no one can claim ownership over their bodies either than themselves.”
Here are some of the powerful images contributed to the online protest:
“I don’t deserve to be raped…”
